The volume of Russian gas pumped to Europe through the Ukrainian route has collapsed by 38 percent. Transit for the year amounted to 55.8 billion cubic meters, reports Ukrainian gas transportation system operator.
Nevertheless, Gazprom paid both for 65 cubic meters, as in the contract stipulates the condition “download or pay”. In the fall, the chapter Naftogaz Andrey Kobolev indicated that payments for the year will amount to about two billion dollars.
The company also said that gas supplies from Europe to Ukraine increased by 12 percent compared to the previous year, to 15.9 billion cubic meters.
The head of the operator Sergei Makogon stressed that last year the operator fully fulfilled its key tasks – reliable gas transportation for its own consumers and obligations for gas transit to Europe and Moldova.
The contract for the transit of Russian gas to Europe through Ukraine was signed a year ago. In 2021-2024, it provides for the pumping of 40 billion cubic meters. The main factors behind the decline in transit, the GTS Operator noted, were the launch of new gas pipelines bypassing Ukraine and a general decline in demand in Europe. The most affected was the southern direction, where the Turkish Stream was launched. There the drop in supplies was 70 percent.
From January 1, 2021 earned “Balkan Stream”, through which Russian gas can go to Serbia bypassing Ukraine. Later, Hungary will be able to receive gas through this system.
To replace the Ukrainian GTS in the northern direction of Russia, it is necessary to launch the Nord Stream-2 gas pipeline, which is hindered by US sanctions. Ukraine fully approves the sanctions pressure from Washington and hopes that it will work.
Earlier on January 2, the head of Gazprom Alexey Miller said that at the end of the year, supplied for export, including China, 199.3 billion cubic meters of gas … This result is among the top five in history. However, the company’s net loss under IFRS (international financial reporting standards) in January-September was a > 202.207 billion rubles.